I woke the next morning to multiple messages on my phone.
Marco: Painting verified by client. Payment received. Good fucking work.
Vivienne: Haven't heard from you in a few days. Everything okay?
Unknown: Cemetery. Noon. Don't be late. -M
And one that made me pause.
Selene: I don't regret what happened, but I need time to process. Don't contact me for a few days. I'll reach out when I'm ready.
I stared at that last message for a long moment. It was direct, honest, and completely unexpected from someone like Selene. She was actually admitting she needed time to process her own feelings.
Progress. Real progress.
But Marcus's message concerned me more immediately. He'd felt my power usage during the vault job, which meant others had too. And if the Covenant was watching as closely as he suggested, I needed to know exactly what I was dealing with.
I replied to the essential messages.
To Marco: Thanks. What's next?
To Vivienne: Fine. Just busy with work. Dinner soon?
